I read a media headline that broke my heart. Most media headlines break my heart these days. This one in particular caught my attention. A threat of violence, unrest, rioting, looting, burning; the shedding of innocent blood in the streets pending an undesired verdict of a highly controversial trial televised across the nation. Before you read further, understand, this blog is not intended to tell you which side of the trial to stand on. It is not intended to debate whether the trial should be controversial. Nor is it intended to tell you how to feel. It is intended to encourage you in the coming days to prepare yourself for your response to whatever lies ahead. To pray for discernment as a Christian so that you are grounded in Faith outside of the ways of the world in which you temporarily reside. This trial and other demands for your attention as the world peers through the lens of a worldview and you peer through the lens of a biblical view in the coming days, months, and years, will collide often tugging on the feelings and fears of your heart as it crashes ashore.
God is the only compass on this earth that will lead you and I, true north.
Feelings will not. Social media will not. Mainstream media will not. Social movements will not. Theories developed within the construct of the worldview will not. This world and the things of this world will not.
I’ll repeat.
God is the only compass on this earth that will lead you, most importantly, your soul, true north.
With the headline I anticipate the flood of my social media timeline from “good-hearted” “well intentioned” “Christians” that will proceed with one of two approaches all too commonly seen over the last year.
Harsh judgmental lacking compassion posts that are not representative of who Christ is. Sassy over generalized memes with little to no class only meant to offend. Insensitive. Unloving. Embarrassing.
Or, watered down, misquoted, out of context scriptural references to satisfy personal human desire to justify evil, immoral, wrong behavior reflective in the actions of the lost seeking recompense from the world where it will never be found.
Tragically, the onslaught of misguided attempts at unity will neglect the opportunity to share the only truth that sets man free. The gospel of Jesus Christ. The lifeboat for those drowning in the waves of fallacy starving for truth. I grieve the anticipation of more, one or two liners claiming Jesus isn’t enough for the world today. As many will educate themselves with feelings and social media narratives irrespective of their misalignment with biblical principles. Claiming it to be the “only” Christian thing to do. Those who devote themselves to standing firmly in truth compassionately loving enough to share truth will, again, need to brace themselves for the onslaught of verbal attacks at their very core, tragically, from friends and even family who claim to be walking in truth with you. From the comfort of living rooms all over the country, we will see division, misinformation, demands for conformity, and promotion of violence masked as a call for unity, love, and tolerance.
No God fearing Holy Ghost filled Christian can seek to find common ground, meet in the middle, ignore, support, promote, or participate in any agenda of this world that contradicts biblical principles by speaking against the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Even when our feelings suggest otherwise.
These days are not for the faint of heart.
We, must ground ourselves, in the radical truth of the gospel as the ONLY Truth so firmly that we, in the face of the mob, boldly proclaim and share the message of Christ with a level of intensity His mercy and goodness deserves. The path home is narrow. Few will find it. Let us prepare ourselves to find the path and take as many with us as willing to come. But let it not be few that find it because we refuse to sacrifice and lead them in the ways of the Lord refusing to become part OF this temporary world.
Be careful not to become entangled with the things of this world losing focus on the work before us to sew eternal seeds of truth into the hearts and lives of the neighbors we are called to love as ourselves.
We must prepare for the coming days.
Suit up.
Pray up.
Praise up.
Rise up.
Speak up.
Spread the gospel of Jesus Christ with such passionate intensity others perceive you to be insanely in love with your Savior unwavering from the truth of who HE is for the world today! Boldly. Confidently. Committed. Whole-heartedly.
“I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you. As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near.
And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.”
2 Timothy 4:1-6, 8 NLT
The Bible is the living word of God himself applicable across all spans of generations and times into eternity. Understand the principles of His Word are set in His infinite wisdom ready to be applied to each and every need through all of time. This world will fade away like a whisper of the wind BUT the world of the Lord will last forever. Do not let the lies of the devil straight from the pit of hell confuse you about the power of the living, breathing, authority of the Word of Jesus Christ who is the Name above all names, forever, as the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He is the Alpha and Omega, beginning and end.
“As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.”
1 Peter 1:24-25 NLT
